Names
by Kame-tan
Summary: What does a name mean to you? Names have the possibilities of representing so many things; a group or clan, an individual, bonds, control. A short fic on how our favorite DGM characters see names.
1. Chapter 1

Kame: Helloooo! Once again, I'm releasing another multi-chap fic when I have stories that need to be updated...BAD KAME, BAD!! XD Anyway, this is quite similar to my FMA fic Rain, and like it it will be short, about 5 chapters long. How about we play a game of 'who's this character?' lol the first one may be kinda obvious, though.

Disclaimer: Tch....

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Names

There are two parts to a name. A surname shows your roots and your ancestry. It is the name you wear in public, for the sake of your family. With the surname comes expectations; the expectations that you will uphold the honor of your family. It identifies you with a group of people, and shapes your life. It is your class, your place in life, your profession, your husband/wife, their class and profession, and the life of your children. It's durable; it exists before your birth and usually goes beyond your death.

Then there is the first name. It is the name you are first called, from the time of birth until you start to venture out into society, and are forced to bear your family's name. The first name is intimate, personalized for that particular person. It has a special meaning that especially applies to that individual.

My name fits me perfectly; superior, skilled, excellent, bravery. I don't give a damn if it sounds arrogant.

Your first name expresses you; you can even change it if you want. If you were born Jessie and changed it to Sophie, or Ned, or whatever the hell you want to be called, fine; but no matter what, if your last name is Johnson, then that's your fucking last name till marriage, where you'll then be forced to carry someone else's name (if you're a girl). Unlike a surname, the first name is not for the public. It's for close friends and family, those who know and understand you best, those who can see the connection with the name and personality. I don't take names lightly; the only people I call by name are those who I respect (something you have to earn from me). Very few people even know my first name, let alone use it. The only one who's stupid enough to call me by my first name is that damn rabbit. As much as I hate to admit it, I think the damn rabbit is the only one who understands…a little bit. Bookmen aren't complete idiots, even if he acts like one 98 percent of the time.

A name is something sacred. My name is like Mugen; it is personal and I am the only one allowed to touch it.

It's only a matter of time, damn rabbit…

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Kame: Well, is it good? Does it suck? Do I need to go and crawl under a rock like the little kame I am? I won't know till you review!^^


	2. Chapter 2

Names always had some importance in history. The name of a place often has a special meaning behind them. Countless battles are named after the places they took place and the people who fought them. The greatest people in history are remembered, if not by deed, then solely by names that can inspire either fear or awe.

How ironic then, that the ones who records the history behind the scenes are nameless.

We are meant to record the hidden history of the world while staying hidden ourselves. We are to remember the greatest battles no one's ever heard of, while we are forgotten. We remember everyone else's name while forgetting our own. The word Bookmen fits us, indeed. We are merely the living pages that history is recorded on.

What does a name mean to a Bookman, really?

Professionally speaking, names are the little flags signaling something of great importance, something that needs to be recorded. Personally, for a Bookman, a name is nothing more than a façade, a mask we wear for convenience while we live, breathe, record history. I tear through names like tissue, leaving behind a trail of 48 aliases and personalities I utilized in my career as a Bookman. My past names are scattered in the winds of history to those who once knew me as such.

A name is so cumbersome at times. Take my current alias, for example. I'm seen as happy-go-lucky, silly, and a bit of an idiot at times. If only they knew how annoying this alias can be at times. I prefer the cool indifference of numbers, if anything. If Allen Walker can be known as the Fourteenth, then I should be known as the 49th, pure and simple. There's nothing to attach to, making it easier to disappear when my job is done.

Lavi Bookman Jr. Another name, another alias, another mask. When my apprenticeship is over, I will simply become Bookman and fade into the pages of recorded and unrecorded history.

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Kame: I want to thank pineconestorm, Shrimp Chip, Just a Realistic Dreamer, and waterlit for reviews. Btw, for those who were wondering, this is Lavi's inner Bookman speaking.


	3. Chapter 3

Kame: Thank yous to Hitsu-taichou, waterlit, SclaretFirez and Shrimp Chip for the reviews. I humbly apologize for such a brief chapter.

When you name an animal, you personalize it. You grow attached to it, develop a bond, and take it into your heart. The animal becomes a friend; it becomes an inseparable part of you can't live without. You will fight to the death for your friend, your heart, that special part of you that exists outside of your body.

It is the same with Innocence.

All of my years of researching Innocence, examining old records on past experiments, and being in contact with Innocence have helped me to realize one thing: it is more than a weapon from God, regardless of what the higher-ups think. Like the Akuma, it is a living entity, growing, changing becoming stronger. The latest incidents with Allen Walker's and my precious little Lenalee's Innocence have proved me right. When the Innocence syncs with the accommodator, it taps into their heart, mind, and feelings. The heart controls it just as much as skill and training; it is from emotions that most accommodators activate for the first time, and the feelings of the heart give the Innocence that extra push in battle.

While those who aren't exorcists laugh at the idea of us naming our weapons, they fail to realize the significance of such a small action. Innocence is _alive_, and just like with any other living being, a name helps to strengthen a bond between accommodator and weapon. When the exorcists are out on the battlefield, that bond may be the one thing to make sure they come back home safely.


	4. Chapter 4

When you meet someone from the first time, the first thing you ask is their name. Until you find out their name, they are just another person on the street. You are a complete stranger. There is nothing personal, no life, no personality, no existence for a nameless person. It's just a person, a human being in a world full of human beings. A nameless person is a shadow on a moonless night; there is nothing to tell it apart from its surroundings, and you can barely tell it's there.

To not have a name is to not have a sense of self.

There is a difference between surviving and living. Surviving is the art of getting by just enough for you to see the light of the next day. You eat, sleep and fight. You do everything you can think of to cling onto life. Living is appreciating life; it is taking the time to observe and absorb. You take the time to sample and taste a dish, you lie down and rest, and you have disagreements and arguments. Survival is animalistic; living is human. The same thing applies with names. When you are called 'brat' or 'runt', nothing separates you from the hundreds of other humans trying to survive. It shoves your existence to the back of the closet, diminishing your humanity and individuality. Nothing is distinct; food is just food, water is just water, clothes are just that. There is no personal connection to others, no family, no friends, no home. You're just another stray on the street. However, when you have a name, you have an existence, an identity, a personality. You have so much more when you have a name. Suddenly, the small things in life become evident; flowers become daisies, tulips, carnations, roses. Food becomes pizza, dumplings, curry, dango. In other words, when you have a name, you start making fine distinctions between individuals in a group. You can identify what kind of food you like, how you rest, what you like to wear, and your friends and enemies.

A name gives you a whole new take on life. It gives you a sense of being, like you matter to someone. When someone calls your name, they are announcing to the world that you are here. So when a person tells you their name, they introduce themselves as an individual, one unique, special person out of many. An introduction may seem simple, but it is the beginning of relationships and bonds. It is special.

Hello, my name is Allen Walker, and it's a pleasure to meet you.

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Kame: I wish to thank Modul, Hitsu-taichou, Shrimp Chip, komui love, and The Lone Eagle for reviews, and anyone who added this to their favorites or alerts. Weird as this may sound, this one is my favorite.


	5. Chapter 5

I think I'm quite accurate when I say that no one understands names better than I do. Humans take for granted what they do not understand. Take the akuma for example. Many people are satisfied with the explanation that akuma are killing machines. They do not understand. They do not understand that an akuma is alive, that it grows based on the darkness and sin in a person's heart and soul. Akuma are the true manifestations of mankind; the truth serum to a person is not alcohol but death. How a person handles death reveals the kind of person they truly are; humans are selfish, foolish, backstabbing creatures, happy to hate anything that threatens their happiness, no matter how many times it helped them. I laugh at how they can turn and hate the God who is trying to save them, simply because a loved one dies.

If man was so high and mighty as he claimed, there would be no akuma.

Excuse me, I digressed. Humans take names for granted, not knowing how important they are, or the strength that lies within them. A name represents so many things. It is the identity of an individual and their family, showing the bonds and relationships between that individual and other humans. A name connects and separates a human to other human beings at the same time. While there are some who understand bits and pieces, many fail to make the connection.

A name is control; the control over a soul. It is power; the power to drag souls away from their final resting place and chain them to my mechanical demons.

When someone who _bonded_ with the _individual _calls their name, the name becomes a connection, a chain that links the soul of the deceased to the living. This is especially strongest with _family_. The name itself is like gift wrap- it wraps everything into one, nice little neat package. It _disguises_ the true power of a name into something so simple that many miss the implication. Human stupidity never fails to amuse me.

Humans make my job easier with their silly attachments to names: All I really have to do is provide the body. As far as I'm concerned, as soon as the name of the soul is written on the akuma, it becomes irrelevant; it loses its name to the akuma and becomes another one of my little playthings.

When death strikes and a name is called, just know that there's a tragedy around the corner

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Kame: I wish to thank Shrimp Chip, WhimsicalHeart, waterlit, hawktakesflight, Allen the Musician, TwilightAlice102 and all of the people who took the time to read this story, add it to their faves/alerts, and left me reviews. Your feedback is important to me! Peace.


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